Why are there so many different types of chicken breast at Albert Heijn?!
You think you’re shopping smart, but meanwhile… you’re tumbling headfirst into a trap at the supermarket. Recently, I noticed just how enormous the variety of cheeses is on the shelves at Albert Heijn. But did you know there are also an insane number of different types of sliced chicken breast? As if we’re all chefs-in-training who need at least ten types of chicken breast to make a decent lunch. From garden herbs to sweet chili, paper-thin, grilled, extra lean – they have it all. And you know what the worst part is? We fall for it too.
Chicken breast overload: choice stress in the aisle
Honestly: when you’re standing in front of that shelf, it feels a bit like you have to make a Michelin-star-worthy decision. Do I go for the spicy chicken breast? Or the version with honey mustard dressing? And why is there one with “Italian herbs” as well as one with “Mediterranean herbs” – what’s the difference anyway?!
It seems as though supermarkets deliberately want to make us sweat over every choice. As if you can’t just eat a sandwich with chicken breast; no, you have to choose between twenty flavors. But the big question, of course, is: is all that variety really necessary? Spoiler: no.
The expensive lesson of spicy chicken breast
Take that spicy chicken breast. We bought it. Several times, in fact. Even though it takes exactly zero effort to simply spread some sambal or sriracha over your slices of chicken breast at home. And yet we let ourselves be tempted. Convenient, you think. Until you look at the price tag: the spicy chicken breast costs €23.92 per kilo and the regular one €19.93. Almost four euros more per kilo for a smear of sauce you could just as easily have taken from your fridge at home.
Four euros extra because you’re too lazy to add something yourself. Let that sink in for a moment.
Paper-thin chicken breast: the ultimate marketing trick
But the biggest rip-off of all? That’s the ‘paper-thin chicken breast‘. Yep, that “deluxe” version that costs you an extra seven euros per kilo. €26.90 per kilo, purely because they’ve put it through the slicing machine one more time. Hello?! It’s exactly the same chicken breast, just a millimeter thinner.
And yes: we’ve fallen for it too. Because “paper-thin” sounds chic, as if you’re about to eat a refined lunch. In reality, you barely notice the difference, except in your wallet. Per package it may seem like just a euro here or there, but if you buy this thin version every week, it adds up to serious money over the course of a year.
Cheap chicken breast? This is how you REALLY keep it cheap
Want to save money on your groceries? Of course, the standard tips are well known: buy store brands and leave the name brands on the shelf. But just as important is this: don’t fall for all those ridiculous varieties on the shelf. They’re simply clever marketing tricks designed to get more money out of your pocket.
Upgrade your chicken breast yourself: easy and cheaper
Still want some variety? Easy. Buy the regular, cheap chicken breast and upgrade it yourself:
– Brush your slices with a little sambal, crispy chili oil or sriracha for the spicy version
– Spread a generous amount of butter on your sandwich and sprinkle some funghi trifolati herbs over it if you’re going for Mediterranean. Or, speaking of Mediterranean: homemade pesto – we always have it in the fridge
– Mix some honey and mustard for homemade honey mustard chicken breast.
It takes an extra minute, but you’ll save euros per package. And bonus: you can decide exactly how spicy or seasoned you want it.
The supermarket as a trap
It’s actually absurd how easily we get swept up by the shelves. From “oh, convenient, it’s already seasoned” to “ah yes, paper-thin must surely be better” – before you know it, you’re happily paying for a far too expensive package. But hey, those marketing people know exactly what they’re doing. Just by putting the words “paper-thin” or “extra juicy” on it, we suddenly feel like culinary geniuses as consumers.
But ultimately, the rule is: you pay more and simply get the same thing.
Keep it simple, keep it cheap
So the next time you’re standing in front of that chicken breast shelf, torn between twenty varieties: just go for the regular, cheap chicken breast. Because however tempting that “spicy” or “paper-thin” version may sound, you can make it just as easily at home (and much more cheaply). Don’t feel like adding anything yourself? Then those extra few euros may be the lazy tax you have to pay. But if you really want to save: don’t let all that marketing talk fool you.
Because trust us: a sandwich with regular chicken breast tastes just as good – and you’ll still have money left to add an extra slice of cheese.
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